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Highlands County, FL Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Circuit Court, Tenth Judicial Circuit, Highlands County; probate is a division of the Circuit Court, not a separate court |
| Filing office | Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller (Jerome N. Kaszubowski), probate counter in the courthouse basement, Room 5 |
| Courthouse | Highlands County Courthouse, 430 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870 (probate at Basement, Room 5) |
| Mailing address | Highlands County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870-3867 |
| Phone | (863) 402-6565 |
| Fax | (863) 402-6712 |
| [email protected] | |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM; closed legal holidays |
| Filing fee | The Clerk publishes a probate fee schedule (revised January 23, 2023): $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of $1,001 or more, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, and $231 for disposition of personal property without administration. These county totals build on the statutory service charge under F.S. 28.2401 (formal administration $395; summary administration $340 for estates of $1,000 or more; plus a $4 additional charge); confirm the current total with the Clerk before filing (verified July 2026). |
| Local probate forms | None from the county or the circuit for general probate, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set; probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, in most cases by an attorney. The Clerk posts a disposition of personal property without administration form |
| E-filing | Through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com); mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers, who may also file on paper at the courthouse counter |
| Online case search | Statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Highlands County (county 28), with a public anonymous access option |
| Remote appearance | The Tenth Judicial Circuit hosts Highlands County virtual courtrooms on Microsoft Teams; confirm with the Probate Division whether a remote appearance is available for your matter |
| Website | https://highlandsclerkfl.gov |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Highlands County, know exactly what is in the estate. Which Florida path fits depends on whether there is a will and on the value and type of the assets: formal administration under F.S. Chapter 733, summary administration under F.S. 735.201 for a smaller estate, or disposition of personal property without administration under F.S. 735.301 for a limited class of estates with no real property. The dollar thresholds that separate these paths are statewide and are explained on the Florida state page; identify the estate first so you and your attorney file the right petition once.
Identify every bank and credit-union account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life-insurance policy, vehicle, and parcel of real property, along with every debt, before you go to the Clerk. Whether the decedent's Sebring, Avon Park, or Lake Placid home was homestead property matters, because Florida homestead often passes outside the probate estate and is not counted toward the summary-administration limit. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Circuit Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit serves Highlands County along with Hardee and Polk counties. Within Highlands, the court covers the whole county, including Sebring (the county seat), Avon Park, Lake Placid, and the surrounding communities such as Lorida, Venus, and Placid Lakes. Highlands probate matters are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Highlands County Courthouse, 430 South Commerce Avenue in Sebring, where the probate counter sits in the basement, and are heard by the circuit's Probate Division in Sebring.
Venue for a decedent's estate is governed by F.S. 733.101. Administration is proper first in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, then, if the decedent had no Florida domicile, in a county where the decedent's property is located, and, if the decedent had neither domicile nor property in Florida, in the county where any debtor of the decedent resides. In practice, file in Highlands County for a decedent who lived here.
The jurisdiction process
- Gather the documents. Collect the original signed will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the proposed personal representative's contact information and photo ID, the names and addresses of the beneficiaries and other interested persons, and a list of the assets and debts with values.
- Choose the path based on the estate. Depending on whether there is a will and on the value and type of assets, the route may be formal administration (F.S. Chapter 733), summary administration (F.S. 735.201), or disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301). The governing thresholds are statewide and are on the Florida state page.
- Confirm whether an attorney is required. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative remains the sole interested person (or is the only beneficiary with no other interested persons), or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most administrations involve more than one interested person, most Highlands estates are filed through counsel.
- Prepare the petition. For a formal or summary administration, prepare the petition and supporting documents under the Florida Probate Rules (Fla. Prob. R. 5.010 to 5.530). Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set and Highlands has no general local packet, so in most cases an attorney prepares and files the papers.
- File with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Attorneys must e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com). A self-represented filer may register and e-file through the portal or file on paper at the probate counter in the courthouse basement, Room 5, 430 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, or by mail to the Clerk at 590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870-3867.
- Pay the filing fee. Under the Clerk's published fee schedule (revised January 23, 2023), the fee is $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of $1,001 or more, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, and $231 for disposition of personal property without administration. These totals build on the statutory service charge under F.S. 28.2401; confirm the current amount with the Clerk (verified July 2026).
- Give notice and publish. The personal representative serves notice on interested persons and publishes a notice to creditors, which opens the creditor-claim period. A creditor must file its claim by the later of 3 months after first publication or 30 days after being served (F.S. 733.702), and in all events within 2 years of death (F.S. 733.710).
- Attend the hearing if one is set. The petition is handled by the Tenth Judicial Circuit's Probate Division in Sebring. The circuit hosts Highlands County virtual courtrooms on Microsoft Teams, so ask the Probate Division whether the matter can be heard remotely.
- Receive the authority document. On appointment the court issues Letters of Administration, the proof of the personal representative's authority to act, in every case, whether or not there is a will. Request enough certified copies for the banks and institutions involved.
- Administer and close. Inventory the assets, pay valid claims in statutory priority, account to the interested persons, distribute the remaining assets, and close the estate. The circuit's Probate Division reviews a monthly delinquent list on guardianship and estate cases and may set a status conference and then an order to show cause if a case sits without record activity, so keep the case moving.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Highlands County
Highlands County publishes no general local probate forms, the Tenth Judicial Circuit's self-help forms are limited to family law, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set: probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules (Fla. Prob. R. 5.010 to 5.530), and Florida Courts Help states that it does not provide probate forms. The Clerk does post a disposition of personal property without administration form for that narrow path. Because Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires a Florida-licensed attorney in most administrations, most estates do not self-file a probate packet: the attorney prepares the petition and files it through the statewide portal. For questions about local intake, filing in person versus by mail, or what the Sebring counter needs, call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (863) 402-6565 or email [email protected].
| Resource | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Highlands County Clerk of the Circuit Court, probate | The local probate page: filing location, the disposition of personal property without administration form, case search, and probate contact |
| Florida Courts Help, probate (flcourts.gov) | The judiciary's probate self-help page; it explains that no statewide probate forms are provided and points to the Florida Probate Code and local resources |
| Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) | The statewide portal for filing probate documents; mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented filers |
Fees
The Highlands County Clerk of the Circuit Court publishes a Civil and Probate fee schedule (revised January 23, 2023) with the following probate totals: formal administration $400; summary administration $345 for an estate of $1,001 or more and $235 for an estate under $1,000; disposition of personal property without administration (listed on the schedule as disposal of personal property) $231; and a caveat $41. These are the county's published totals, which build on the statutory service charges set by F.S. 28.2401 (formal administration $395; summary administration $340 for estates of $1,000 or more; plus a $4 additional charge on the petition). Because fee schedules change, confirm the current amount with the Clerk before filing (verified July 2026).
| Probate filing | Highlands County fee |
|---|---|
| Formal administration | $400 |
| Summary administration, estate $1,001 or more | $345 |
| Summary administration, estate under $1,000 | $235 |
| Disposition of personal property without administration | $231 |
| Caveat | $41 |
Local nuance
Highlands County-specific considerations
Two addresses: file at 430, mail to 590. The Highlands County Courthouse, where probate is filed in person, is 430 South Commerce Avenue in Sebring, with the probate counter in the basement, Room 5. The Clerk's mailing address is different: 590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870-3867. Attorneys e-file through the statewide portal; a self-represented filer may e-file, file at the courthouse counter, or mail papers to the 590 address.
The circuit runs a Probate Division that tracks inactive cases. Highlands probate is heard by the Tenth Judicial Circuit's Probate Division, which also covers Hardee and Polk counties. On guardianship and estate cases, a delinquent list goes to the division's case manager each month, and the case manager sends a no-activity or delinquent letter giving the attorney of record 30 days to comply; if no record activity follows, the case is set for a status conference and then, if still inactive, an order to show cause hearing. Keep a Highlands case moving to avoid these hearings.
Case search runs through the statewide CiviTek system. Highlands County does not run its own docket portal. Court records are searched through the statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Highlands County (county 28), which offers a public anonymous access option. To confirm a filing, you can also call the Clerk's office at (863) 402-6565.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Highlands County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | If the Sebring, Avon Park, or Lake Placid home was the decedent's homestead, Florida homestead protections usually let it pass to the surviving spouse outside the probate estate, often confirmed by a petition to determine homestead status filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. If other assets must be administered, the spouse (through counsel, unless she is the sole interested person under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030) files a summary or formal administration and is issued Letters of Administration. | Asset discovery to confirm how title is held and what else is in the estate. Packet generation for the qualifying paperwork. A vetted attorney referral where Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires counsel. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | A smaller estate that meets the statewide threshold can proceed by summary administration under F.S. 735.201, which appoints no personal representative and ends in an order distributing the assets; a very limited estate with no real property may qualify for disposition of personal property without administration (F.S. 735.301). Both are filed with the Highlands Clerk, and an out-of-state filer can work with Florida counsel through the statewide e-filing portal without repeated trips to Sebring. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate qualifies and to locate accounts from out of state. Packet generation for the petition, prepared in advance so an out-of-state filer can proceed largely remotely. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Because the estate holds real property that must be sold, it generally proceeds through formal administration under F.S. Chapter 733: the parent, represented by counsel under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, petitions the Clerk of the Circuit Court, is appointed personal representative, receives Letters of Administration, and can then sell the home and distribute the proceeds. The Tenth Judicial Circuit's Probate Division hears the matter in Sebring. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the formal administration filing. Attorney referral, and help if the sale or an heir dispute turns contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Highlands County Clerk of the Circuit Court, (863) 402-6565 (highlandsclerkfl.gov) | The filing office for probate; local intake questions, filing by mail or in person, hours, case search, and the probate contact [email protected] |
| Tenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, Probate Division (jud10.flcourts.org) | Court administration for Highlands County, the Probate Division, and Highlands County virtual courtroom links for remote hearings |
| Florida Courts Help, probate (flcourts.gov/Courts-System/florida-courts-help/other-resources/probate) | The judiciary's probate self-help page, with plain-language information on the probate process |
| Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) | Registration and self-help for e-filing probate documents, the option available to self-represented filers |
| Florida Rural Legal Services, Lakeland office, (863) 688-7376 (frls.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents; its Lakeland office serves Hardee, Highlands, and Polk counties |
| Heart of Florida Legal Aid Society, (863) 519-5663 (hofla.org) | Free civil legal help for income-eligible residents of the Tenth Judicial Circuit, including Highlands County |
| The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service, (800) 342-8011 (floridabar.org) | Statewide referrals to Florida-licensed probate attorneys, plus the consumer pamphlet Probate in Florida |
When to hire an attorney
Florida makes counsel the norm in probate. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative remains the sole interested person, or is the only beneficiary with no other interested persons, or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most Highlands estates have more than one interested person, most formal and summary administrations here are handled through counsel, who also e-files through the statewide portal. Consider an attorney early when the estate holds real property that must be sold, when a will contest or heir dispute is likely, when the estate is insolvent or creditors are pressing, or when the estate includes a business interest or out-of-state property. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Florida probate attorney serving Highlands County and the Tenth Judicial Circuit.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Highlands County real estate, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value and which Florida path fits before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the petition and supporting paperwork for your estate settlement path, ready to file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Sebring through the statewide e-filing portal or on paper.
Find a local probate attorney. Because Fla. Prob. R. 5.030 requires a Florida-licensed attorney in most administrations, Sunset connects families to a vetted Florida probate attorney serving Highlands County and the Tenth Judicial Circuit.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file for probate in Highlands County?
With the Clerk of the Circuit Court at the Highlands County Courthouse, 430 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870, where the probate counter is in the basement, Room 5, or by mail to the Clerk at 590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870-3867. Highlands is in the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Florida has no separate probate court; probate is a division of the Circuit Court.
Do I have to e-file probate in Highlands County?
Attorneys must e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. A self-represented filer may register and e-file through the same portal or file on paper at the courthouse counter in Sebring or by mail to the Clerk's mailing address.
Do I need an attorney for probate in Highlands County?
Usually yes. Under Fla. Prob. R. 5.030, the personal representative must be represented by a Florida-licensed attorney unless the personal representative is the sole interested person (or the only beneficiary with no other interested persons), or is a Florida-licensed attorney. Because most estates have more than one interested person, most Highlands administrations are handled through counsel.
Who hears probate cases in Highlands County?
The Tenth Judicial Circuit's Probate Division, which covers Highlands, Hardee, and Polk counties, hears Highlands probate matters in Sebring. The division also reviews a monthly delinquent list on guardianship and estate cases and may set a status conference and then an order to show cause if a case sits without record activity.
Can I appear remotely for a Highlands County probate hearing?
Sometimes. The Tenth Judicial Circuit hosts Highlands County virtual courtrooms, which run on Microsoft Teams. Whether a remote appearance is available depends on the matter, so confirm with the Probate Division when a hearing is set.
Can I look up a Highlands County probate case online?
Yes. Court records are searched through the statewide CiviTek Online Court Records Search for Highlands County (county 28), which offers a public anonymous access option. To confirm a filing you can also call the Clerk of the Circuit Court at (863) 402-6565.
What forms do I need for probate in Highlands County?
Highlands County publishes no general local probate forms, and Florida publishes no statewide self-help probate form set. Probate filings are petitions prepared under the Florida Probate Rules, and in most cases an attorney prepares the petition. The Clerk does post a disposition of personal property without administration form for that narrow path.
What does it cost to file probate in Highlands County?
Under the Clerk's published fee schedule (revised January 23, 2023), the fee is $400 for formal administration, $345 for summary administration of an estate of $1,001 or more, $235 for summary administration under $1,000, and $231 for disposition of personal property without administration. These totals build on the statutory service charge under F.S. 28.2401; confirm the current amount with the Clerk at (863) 402-6565 before filing.
Do I have to travel to Sebring to settle an estate there?
Not always. Attorneys and self-represented filers can file through the statewide e-filing portal, and papers can be mailed to the Clerk at 590 South Commerce Avenue, Sebring, FL 33870-3867. Where a hearing is required, ask the Probate Division whether the matter can be heard through the circuit's Highlands County virtual courtrooms, which run on Microsoft Teams.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.